DollFace
by BanishedOne
Summary: Sasuke had no idea that his ancestor had a serum to bring the dead temporarily back to life. He finds comfort in being able to speak to his brother again.. Until unexplainable things begin to happen.
1. Chapter 1

/Whispers. That was all they were. Voices, speaking incoherently beneath my skin, warnings as crystalline as glass shaded a blood-stained ruby, clouded only by the sightlessness slipping over me. My digits, my skin doubled in ill-kept pallor, it was all tainted by the frosted touch of death oncoming. I had become a delicate figure in brittle ice menagerie, and as fate was, I was soon to melt into the ground forevermore.

But why those quiet utterings just outside of my reach? Why did those bell-like voices sing so softly beyond audibility? It was foretelling in the ominous nature of it, those warnings. It did me absolutely no good. In the end I ignored it- I pushed it aside, declaring it to be signals that death was near. I knew as much. /

...The soft bottoms of my shoes pressed in each step to the floor in silence despite the heaviness of the things. They were serving as stony hooves for long, graceful legs, like those of a deer, so easy to break, though these legs could still carry weight with grace and fluidity. I prayed that these water-like qualities served me in the clasp of a fiery embrace; I had learned very much in certain companionships. I felt at home beneath the liquid-silver of a moonlit body of water, deprived of proper sight or sound, or breath, my body weightless as the liquid slowly consumed my lifeforce so gently, so softly.. Peace, that was what I felt. That was what I desperately hoped death would be like.

Certain other companionships, however, had deterred me from my goals- I had stopped now, consumed in silence though I still felt the heat of another approaching me. Through the winding chill of dusty, gray corridors, here I paused within a makeshift hideout. My polite disposition bid me to wait as a dark, but devilishly heated figure rounded a corner just to watch my back mockingly as I slipped away physically, spiritually, but not yet in form.

"You know that I'll tell him the truth."

Ruby eyes shaded in wisps of ebony hair turned to the human form given to utter viciousness. He watched with one shining, swirling crimson optic beneath a concealing mask, expectant, even as I said nothing in return. This was the reason his threatening growls continued. "I'll tell him everything."

"I'll take him."-

"Use him."-

"..And then toss him away."-

"Like garbage."

Still I dared not utter a peep. I wasn't threatened by this man, and it drove him into frustration to no end. I knew it was his intent to destroy everything I sought to give my life up for, and even while I had everything figured out beyond what I knew he would try to do, I still couldn't figure out why he tried so damn hard. I could only surmise he had some unexplainable and inescapable desire to keep me. Keep me.

"...Itachi." The masked man spoke in a deeper, dangerous tone, seething, boiling in his own skin at the way I so easily ignored him. The occurrence in my mind, as vague as it was, did not yet allow me to give him my full and devastating attention, and so I slowly turned to him, my bangs moving softly against the white of my cheeks, the feverish red of my lips matching in tone to the skin lining underneath my eyes, equally crimson. I let him look at me, this doll-like creature I had morphed into. I was something breakable now, and still beautiful, I knew, and just like cold plastic, I was soon to have my beating heart silenced forevermore.

"..Keep me, Madara.. Go ahead, I'm yours." With a voice as smooth and mysterious as every thread of my own very being, I spoke, softly, soothingly, reassuringly. This was when I was at my most deadly. Those heavy weights holding the graceful length of my legs shifted up, forward, in three or four slow, quiet steps, and I stood face-to-face with a demon whose fire was restrained only by his stoney covering. I wanted to let that fire consume me, and with one thin and daring hand, I traced pale fingertips up the black material hiding his surely deathly pale chest from view. My touch chilled him to the bone, while at the same time his fire flared about, swirling to clasp me, and capture me within. "..But-" I continued as my appendage made it to the mask shielding his face, and I pulled it free so to look into his withered countenance.

From behind the man, the -real- me drew forth a sword to be driven through the old demon, despite his ability to absorb the impact with a ghastly lack of solidity. It was the meaning of the gesture that made a difference, however, and my clone smirked in vivid malice as the sword was also driven through him. He raised his free hand to push inside the empty chest of the demon Uchiha, finding nothing but meaningful symbolism.

"..I'll rip out your heart before you can unlock my own."

With one final smile the clone disappeared and I tore through my ancestor with no clear respect for his visual spectrum, casting him a threatening stare as I showed him my back, and even though I marched toward my death, I was pleased.

I saw him for one moment look at me, and show himself so obviously taken by my own ghostly chill, truly and honestly experiencing a subtle tinge of fear at my intentions, at what mystery was within me that he had never discovered.

And I would burn the evidence...

-::

It was days later, and still the wounds were fresh, and open, and bleeding. Not so much the physical as the emotional- This was the discovery made by one young Uchiha, one incredibly healthy and living Uchiha. He laid in his bed, the bed granted to him by his questionable ancestor, a man who had taken him in without much explanation, and at the same time.. Far too much explanation.

It was so hard to take in, so hard to accept the utter realistic nature of the truth- This teen's elder brother had died hated, but had lived with nothing but love for the one who would bury him. Itachi had sacrificed himself, he had given himself up for simply the safety of his younger sibling. The great Itachi Uchiha, the prodigy of the Uchiha clan, one of the most skilled young ninja to emerge in Konoha, -that- person had given his life for who? ..Sasuke? Who was Sasuke to him? Who in the hell was Sasuke up next to his brother?

Surprise had certainly bewildered the helpless teen, it had confused every fiber of his being. Having survived on nothing but hatred, on his lust to kill Itachi, he had nothing now, nothing but emptiness. A lie- That was what he had lived. He had lived hating a man who loved him more than life. He had lived to kill somebody who readily accepted an undeserved death. This was torture; The young male tossed and turned upon his bed, the darkness around him no comfort at all.

Sasuke sat up upon the mattress, letting the sheets and blankets fall from his bare shoulders, and the chilled air of his small chamber bedroom nipped at his vulnerable, pale flesh. He ignored it- He was used to such surroundings, having lived the most recent years of his life with his serpentine sensei. It was funny and ironic how much his room resembled a prison cell, but he thought secretly to himself that it was deserved. He deserved to rot inside a cell he couldn't escape, but more than that, there were others who deserved to pay more greatly.

His home.. His abandoned home of Konoha. All of his life the truth had been right under his nose, but nobody had ever been so kind as to enlighten him. Had they any idea how they could have lessened his suffering if he only knew he had his elder brother still? If he knew he still had a brother who cared for him and always had? Then Sasuke would have never left his homeland behind, he would have never put himself through the hell of Orochimaru's training, he would have never killed-... He would have never killed the very most important person in his life.

The delicate, thin material of the sheets was squeezed between roughened, white digits. It was a small, but silent display of anger. Anger- It was one of Sasuke's unfailing traits, it was something he could hold onto. It hadn't died in the inferno that consumed the rest of his being. The rest of him was nothing more than ash now, ash which slowly blew away in the storming sorrow left behind inside him. He felt that cold, gray, emptiness momentarily extinguish the fire of hateful anger. Yes, the teen's physical wounds, as minimal as they were in comparison to what Sasuke had left upon his sibling's frail form, they had healed greatly, having never been horrific in the first place. Bruises, scratches, that was all Sasuke had; Itachi had exhausted him but had been so caring that he didn't even leave Sasuke with a wound that would heal into a disfigured scar. The boy wished his brother had indeed marred him; It would be a cherishable gift from the fallen older Uchiha.

The young Uchiha breathed a frustrated sigh as he heaved his unsteady body from his bed. His form was weighed down by what he assumed was the new truth beating against him, Itachi's soul hanging from his shoulders, forcing Sasuke to carry his dead weight for the rest of time. Walking as a fish nearing death would swim, the teen left his room to wander the dark halls, certain of the late hour, but not particularly caring.

Sasuke had seen others navigate their ways through the endless tunnels of this graveyard dungeon- His own team had separate rooms of their own. A familiar chakra and now-and-then sightings of a man colored symmetrically in two tones, though mostly hidden by leaves which encased him, protecting him from prying eyes; Another familiar face, that gargantuan man of azure complexion, and fish-like features; It all made Sasuke wonder if this Akatsuki organization was comprised of nothing more than circus freaks. That blonde man baring abnormal mouths about his body, and even Sasuke's own snake-like teacher, they were also part of this group once.. How ever had Itachi fit in here? How did he bare his long wait in such bizarre surroundings?

In any case, there was some shred of relief- Sasuke was almost certain that even the freaks would be slumbering at such an hour, and with nothing but restlessness to call his own, the young teen padded listlessly down the hallways, naked feet chilled by the stone floor. His mind felt empty, as did his heart, and his body was tired, there was no doubt of that, but.. He could not sleep. He took to traveling, following a mysterious calling, a reasoning behind his tossing and turning. Something unknown, unseen, was leading him, telling him exactly where to go, and what to do, and for the briefest moment, Sasuke was terrified at what he may find. His spine was wracked with a cold tremor which spanned outward, taking the boy's breath away, and making his skin crawl as he shuddered.

The halls themselves must have been cozy to spooks and phantoms, and the teen soon felt himself to be doubting that he was alone, slight ticks and whispers haunting the gray tunnels telling of nothing greater than complete emptiness. Sasuke needed an escape, and he found as much in a sudden diverge, shutting his eyes as he took a turn into a cracked doorway, and he shut the halls out behind him, letting his back fall against the heavy, metallic door while he breathed a soft sigh.

And then.. He heard his name being whispered, and a sweetly soft voice prickled the skin of his pale ears just beneath a mess of raven locks.

...Sasuke...

/..Whispers.. Whispers, that's all I have.. That's how I call to you, my dear.. I need you, I need you. Help, save me saving you.. Touch me again. Talk to me again. I've waited so long, I've gotten cold waiting for your warmth..Come to me, and I'll be here for you, my beautiful, my beloved... Nothing can tear us apart../

"..Sasuke?"

A deep but calmly gentle voice broke the echoing silence which was tainted with inaudible whispering noises. This voice spoke the boy's name as if that sweet whisper had just been a sixth sense, Sasuke knowing somebody was waiting to speak his name. He was uncertain if the voice waiting just beyond his closed eyes had been the one secretly disturbing his slumber, but not believing in such coincidence, the young male allowed his charcoal orbs to take in the light of the room before him.

But a minute glance was enough to turn the boy's face to one side- The setting itself was typical enough. The same gray walls, the same cold stone, everything looking old and beyond haunted, and amidst it all was that man, the very man who had greeted Sasuke. It was that elder Uchiha, the ancestor so like Sasuke in his vengeful nature and will; Madara, he stood clad in his usual black, the tight material shielding his entire frame from view except for one part of him. His face, as it would seem now, was unhindered by the mask which he typically bore. Despite that one change from the norm, however, Sasuke took little note of it, and was not terribly surprised to look upon the old man's face. It was the face of an old Uchiha, and Sasuke could certainly handle that. In its own way it was a comfort, familiarity which Sasuke had missed over the years. But, the teenage avenger was not so apt to kindness during these dark morning hours, these /chilling/ morning hours, because even as he had no ill will for the man who called himself Madara Uchiha, tonight he had one large reason to question that man's twisted intent.

He was standing there..Just standing there..

Standing there with.. Itachi.

Standing there over Itachi's.. Body.

The young male took a soft, slow breath, too surprised and afraid to even look at his brother laying there on what he saw to be an examining table. A simple, metallic-gray surface, cold beneath the elder male's pallid skin. This fear inside the Uchiha teen, it was hard to explain, but he knew it was there all too well. He found himself feeling just like a little boy again, too afraid to see his older brother dead, because he didn't want to face the truth of it. It was just much too difficult to look down and see Itachi, beautiful, perfect Itachi... No longer Itachi at all, but an empty shell.

One small little curiosity, one shred of emotion that could so easily ignite into furious anger, was the question of what this man hovering in silence now had been doing with the body of the older Uchiha. Sasuke, strangely enough, had not yet fully considered what had happened to Itachi until now, and for that reason he had no say in this matter, perhaps, and it was undeserved, but.. Damn it, Itachi was his brother, and Itachi had lived and died for him only. Sasuke was the one Itachi -expected- to handle what was done to him. And as that was, Sasuke finally gave a response to the inquisitive calling of his name.

"Tell me." A rough and emotionlessly cold voice was still one which belonged to Sasuke, and he proudly kept himself inward, even though the situation had shocked him, and he had not yet turned his face back in the direction of his ancient relative. "..What exactly is it that you're doing?"

He heard a soft sigh, and he took to trying to analyze that sound- He was not such an expert at this, though, as his sibling would have been. Madara sounded so tired, as to be expected at such an early time of morning, but he had an irritation about himself that Sasuke did not understand. It was almost as if he were trying to solve some difficult puzzle, and here had appeared the perfect opportunity for some aid in such a thing. "Come in, Sasuke."

Thoughts buzzed at an insane pace within the boy's mind, but any reasoning within him was silenced as he swallowed a thick lump in his throat, unable to back down from the beckoning he had been given. A few slow, soundless steps drew him nearer to the one whom he was taking up residence with, and as a way to calm his tight nerves, he kept his abyssal eyes locked on the older male's normally hidden face. Madara was looking down, however, his own eyes locked on the dead man in his grasp. It left Sasuke wondering even further, why was this man so interested, so enthralled in Itachi, especially now? There still seemed as if a lot was left for Sasuke to uncover- Madara had spoken of Itachi in such a manner, it was as if he cared, as if he valued the Uchiha heir's life. The teen knew he wanted to unlock these mysteries, but he could not yet do so, because he still lacked any will to look at his brother.

Itachi, who had loved him, lived for him, suffered for him, fought for him, and died for him..Sasuke couldn't look. He was too afraid and ashamed.

"What do you need, Sasuke? Is there something wrong?" The elder's deep, rough baritone was what drew Sasuke out from his nervous pondering, and in the instant that Madara spoke, he even raised a questioning look to his young relative, finally taking his eyes off the corpse laid out for his mysterious observations. The young teen's brows knitted together slightly as his eyes glassed over in subtle annoyance. His flare of emotion was hardly noticeable, but it was there nonetheless.

"I asked what the hell you were doing with my brother's body. What reason do you have to be messing with him at such an early hour, in fact, why is he even here? ..He should be buried, so he can rest properly.." His solemn opinion was aptly communicated with the older male, and his tone was laced with a careless sort of anger; It remained hard to place, but definitely present. Glancing off to the side, Sasuke found escape from the look he was given by his elder, but he still couldn't look at Itachi, despite how the chill from the body had leaked into Sasuke's skin from his close proximity. It gave him a chill, and he fought to hide his shudder.

Madara, shrugging off the seriousness presented, just chuckled at the silly boy's ideas, and at that gruff sound Sasuke snapped his dark eyes back to the older man. The quiet laugh was cut short and explained, though not at all because the elder felt threatened. He had his own ways and he could be just as protective of how he did things. "Oh Sasuke.. How in the world would it be 'proper' to throw Itachi Uchiha into some hole in the ground? Don't you think it is so much more fitting to preserve his perfectly beautiful body? ..He died so young.. It would be a terrible waste to let him become food for insects or worse.."

"Ahem." A voice from elsewhere spoke up, and Sasuke flinched visibly, cursing himself afterwards for the show of nervousness. He turned his head toward the noise with his steely mask back intact just to see the strange plant-like creature melt from a shadowed, metallic wall, clearly present in order to address Madara. "I take it you don't require my presence anymore.."

The words seemed like more of a statement than a question but Sasuke caught sight of Madara nodding to the creepy two-toned man regardless. The teen did not completely focus on his relative yet, however, his dark eyes locked in a glare on the man he knew to be a cannibal, a consumer of the dead. It sickened Sasuke, and even more so as he deducted in his mind that this monster was here for the sole purpose of 'disposing' of the fallen Uchiha heir; This was not something he knew for sure, but he hated even the thought, and he felt as if he needed to will the freak away before he could continue his previous conversation. Thankfully the strange creature vanished away into the surface he partially erupted from, but not before his split features twisted into a vile smirk comprised of sharpened teeth and he licked his lips with the tip of his tongue unconsciously.

It was just like a hungry dog licking his chops, and in the end it only served to drive Sasuke into a more protective anger than before. His head whipped to the side, eyes meeting his relative's cold, unworried ones, and he gave the man a fierce red glare. "I'm going to rephrase what I said before." Sasuke growled his words with livid, deadly intent. "I don't care what you planned to do with Itachi, you won't have your way. He isn't going to be eaten by any plant-freaks and he isn't going to be toyed around with, he deserves better, he deserves to be able to rest peacefully-"

"Just relax, Sasuke." The older male's voice cut the younger male off with a start, and his low tone lowered further, but became audibly louder by just the slightest degree. He stared back at Sasuke firmly as he spoke, momentarily reminding the teen of his father- The stern aspect of his persona took fierce control without showing an ounce of anger. It was the old memories that, in the end, snapped Sasuke's mouth shut, while his face remained wrinkled just a bit into a scowl, and his eyes kept their blood red light.

The elder man next sighed to loosen himself, letting go of the stress Sasuke had caused very suddenly in his invasion. He did not keep eye contact with the teen, instead shifting his gaze back down on the doll-like corpse, staring at Itachi's unmoving features as he busied his hands with grasping a syringe that had been laid near. He spoke up, again in explanation, his tone once more at its normal toneless softness. "Nobody is going to be eating Itachi and I'm not disrespecting him by any means... Take a moment to think about what you're saying Sasuke. I understand your pain perfectly, why would I dare antagonize you by disrespecting your brother?"

That gentle way the older male took to explaining was enough to dim away the hostile teen's fury, those fiery eyes fading down to cool ebony, but the young Uchiha was yet to be convinced, and so he kept listening, waiting for the full meaning of this to make itself known. He wished so terribly to look down and see what had captured the attention of the older man's hands, but Sasuke had yet to gain the courage to look upon his sibling's pallid features. For now the young male contented himself by staring down his older relative, finding some semblance of patience within himself.

"I'm glad you showed up, in fact.." Madara started his words anew, a protective cap being removed from the syringe in his hand, and he squeezed the excess air from the tube. "I was going to test this now and then show you tomorrow, but.. I suppose it is better for preserving Itachi's body if I do this tonight.."

Uncertainty still wholly consumed the teen, and he took a shaky breath, wanting to tell the man in his company to stop whatever it was he was doing- The teen could ascertain, even if he wasn't looking. He heard the object when it was lifted into Madara's hand, the cap being removed, and that obvious sound of air squeezing from a tight, sharpened tube. It was some sort of injection being prepared, and the young male didn't like the idea of this man experimenting on Itachi. Madara said he wasn't disrespecting the fallen male, but he lied through teeth as his did exactly what he claimed he wasn't doing. The young Uchiha hissed a demand that his ancestor halt his actions, stop, stop doing this to the fallen heir. Sasuke just imagined Itachi wishing he could flinch away from the sting of poison pressed into his fragile veins, but the lifeless body could not move away an inch.

Following Sasuke's pleas against what was happening was nothing more than silence between the two Uchiha, and the obvious sounds of Madara doing exactly what he wanted- The pinprick of the needle going through the lifeless Uchiha's cold skin, the sound making a slight pop, as if the elder's flesh had become tough, but elastic, not wanting to accept the invasion. A soft, slow squeezing noise followed as the fluid was forced into those empty vessels, the blood inside not flowing, and the pressure heightening caused bubbles to rise to the surface of the wound, fizzing against the pale flesh.

"There.." Madara finally spoke up, obviously pleased with himself, and Sasuke felt himself to be boiling in his skin, wanting badly to go across the table at his old relative but.. He was in no place to do such a thing. He stood stock still as he continued to listen, hating himself and feeling utterly weak and powerless.

"That will take a moment to start working, if you can be patient.. But Sasuke?" The older male spoke, seeming so relaxed, and even coy enough to question in what rang like honest curiosity, his conscience clean, and unbothered. Could he not tell how furious the teen had become now in his presence? Could he not see how he was affecting Sasuke? The teen returned eye contact, just to receive an equally questioning stare once Madara voiced his inquisition. "Do you even intend to look at your brother? ..Your eyes haven't so much as glanced at Itachi since you came over.. You'll need to see him in order to experience the effects of the serum I've given him."

For a passing moment, Sasuke allowed his anger to slip entirely from his system- It leaked out of him beyond his control at the mention of his inability to look at his sibling. Itachi.. Would Itachi want the teen staring at his lifeless form? Would Itachi welcome Sasuke's prying eyes, even if the younger male only looked upon the elder with pure love and admiration rather than cold hatred now? Sasuke took a deep breath to steady himself, to build up his courage, and mostly to form words in response to Madara's questions and statements. One thing was bothering the teen above all others- One thing kept the young Uchiha from being brave more than anything else.

"Are.. His eyes still open?"

The young male's voice poured out quietly, humbly, honest, and Madara let his eyes scan over Sasuke's porcelain countenance. The boy was so morose but unnerved; Itachi Uchiha was still threatening to the boy, even beyond the threshold of death itself. But the old man couldn't deny he understood- Itachi was a deadly beauty, frightening in all his mystery and silence, a maker of terrors in the way he always figured out things that were suppose to remain hidden, and just the same.. Nobody knew anything about him. And Sasuke had his guilt to worry about- He mustn't have wanted to see his brother staring up at him so accusingly, so silently saying 'why, Sasuke? Why did you do this to me?' Sasuke did seem to have recalled that Itachi had indeed died with his eyes wide open, and in a gesture of understanding and goodwill, a thin hand encased in shadowy leather reached up to close the elder male's delicate eyelids, shutting those silvery-black pools from view, though soon.. It wouldn't matter.

"No. You may look at him, Sasuke."

And so Sasuke at last allowed his dark eyes to slowly find their way down to the edge of the examining table, resting with Itachi just within view, though not entirely in focus. He could already tell that his sibling's skin tone had dropped to the pallor that came with death, and in the most frightening way, it almost resembled Orochimaru's coloration. It added to the effect as Sasuke noted he could also see tendrils of raven hair laid out in wisps against the gray-silver surface. He knew that the man laying before him was not the serpentine devil, but instead somebody that had died with a heart full of love for the young Uchiha now looking down upon him; That sweet reassurance and yet another nervous gulp finally gave Sasuke the push he needed to shift his eyes up to fully rest on Itachi's cold body.

The deathlike doll was pitifully still clad in the clothes he had been wearing at the end. Bravely, Sasuke's hand wandered up to finger the tattered material, locating each rip, relating every single one with some debilitating blow, some injury placed upon the heir's living body, causing him pain and agony. It was a bitter slap in the face, having to reflect on exactly _what he did_ to Itachi. Every single little fucking thing he did. He could remember how Itachi suffered, fighting with his painfully failing eyesight following the Tsukuyomi Sasuke broke free from.

His wandering fingers, dipping accidentally into a gaping hole in the thigh of Itachi's dirtied blue pants, located a long trail of flesh stitched back together, and he recalled having struck his brother in the leg, though he couldn't understand why the hole had been stitched at all. Dark eyes did not bother looking, but instead rested on one of Itachi's hands; The fingers of his one single hand were tinged darker than the translucent white which covered the rest of his body. The teen remembered what had happened, he remembered how pleased he had been when he noticed at the time of the battle. He had inflicted a harsh burn to one of his brother's hands, surely making even using it a challenge, but.. God.. Itachi had sucked it all up as if it had no effect. His resolve had been so strong, his determination, his will to save his sibling from that demon snake and at last deliver him to a greater plane of power, it was beyond being deterred by any physical damage..

But still... He must have suffered so greatly. Sasuke took a deep breath, wanting to run back to his dark room and curl up as he could not halt the way his eyes glassed with uncontrollable tears.. He couldn't fight the emotion that welled up inside him, tearing his broken heart up further. He allowed his tears to slide warmly down his otherwise cool skin, not caring if Madara saw.

Wiping the tears away so he could continue to see clearly, the boy's eyes at last halted upon his sibling's face. Something was different, however, but it served to make him feel more comfortable and he placed his hand against his sibling's ice cold cheek. All the dirt and blood had been wiped away from Itachi's pale features, leaving him unmarred and clean. He thought to inquire as to why Madara would have done such a thing, but he was too busy in observation. A few locks of dull ebony rested against the colorless skin of Itachi's forehead and cheeks, while the rest was left to splay all about the table. It was strange to Sasuke before, during the battle, he thought his sibling had a sickly, frail appearance, but he had shrugged it off, just assuming it was part of Itachi's 'prettiness'- Days ago the skin underneath those fatal sharingan was tinted with a reddish lining, though now it had sunk into a grayish blue. It looked like smudged makeup in a way, growing a lighter, paler blue as it spanned downward, following after the dark lines which had always marred Itachi's perfection. The light blushed color that had coated the heir's lips in life, on the other hand, had faded completely away, leaving nothing but pale, powdery alabaster.

"You're right.." Sasuke at last spoke, soft words addressing the only one present to listen to him. He still raised his dark eyes to look at his ancestor, and it was observable how his outward appearance had softened, weakened by his emotions bustling inside him. He hoped his relative would pay no mind as he finished his thought aloud. "..He is beautiful.. Even though he's.. dead.."

/Death has no meaning anymore. You're right brother, I'm too strong to let go, I'm too determined to ever leave you behind./

A soft sound filtered out in the stale, cold air of the room. It was like the wind, like a gentle flow of air into a cracked doorway, so slow and haunting in its ring; Sasuke heard it, but didn't move or shift his gaze. He closely watched his ancient relative as the demon man smiled softly, speaking a response in a hushed, secretive tone, a tone that spoke mystery. "He is beautiful.. Even though he's... Dead."

With cautious, fearful movements, Sasuke took his relative's repetition as an agreement, and he lowered his gaze back down to Itachi's porcelain doll face. A doll's white skin, and pale lips, a doll's dark hair needing care and brushing, a doll's long, lovely lashes, and the very same cold, lifeless, staring eyes as a doll.

Eyes. Unblinking, silvery eyes. Staring. Staring up right at Sasuke. At Sasuke.

The teen blinked, feeling the fear rising up within him, unable to explain what had happened. One moment he had looked upon his sibling, his stone cold dead sibling, and those blinded eyes had been covered by thin, white lids, and now his eyes were open. Itachi had his eyes open, and his lips parted slightly, his chest rising and falling as he took in slow gulps of air. The teen was sure he could hear the breathing much more heavily than it seemed, though. He heard pants of air moving in and out speedily as his heart raced in his chest, threatening to explode from the glare of those accusing eyes, those dead, accusing eyes.

"Sasuke, calm down." Madara came around the table to grab at the young Uchiha's arm and give it a slight squeeze and a shake. The teen would say it helped, because it served to aid him in snapping his sight away from his brother, and up to the eldest male. As his eyes diverted, however, he found himself glaring again in hatred, pure, lusting hatred. This had to be some sort of trick, or an illusion, or a joke. Was this man intentionally messing with Sasuke? The teen yanked his arm away, his breathing, as he knew now, still forcing itself out and in rapidly.

"You have to calm down-"

"What have you done? What the hell have you done?" A voice laced with anger and fear raised itself from the gasping, shouting out and ringing loudly in the confined space of the room. It hurt even Sasuke's own ears but he couldn't stop himself. He did not feel inclined to attack, for some reason, perhaps fearing he might get captured in those gazing gray optics once again, so instead he turned to run. He spun on heel, finding the door with some difficulty, his eyes just unable to focus for all the emotions blinding him, his mind disoriented, and in his moment of vulnerability, he was grabbed up from behind. His ancestors arms grasped him firmly, keeping him from bolting or struggling and since he wasn't fully himself, Sasuke didn't react immediately. It gave the older man time to explain.

"The serum I injected into your brother is able to temporarily reanimate his body."

Sasuke froze, feeling Madara's hold on him loosen as he did so. That man's voice rang so definite and clear in the teen's ears, everything happening in such a surreal way as he came down from his rush of adrenalin. He stood, just waiting to hear that voice again, just waiting to be further comforted by some deserved explaining.

"It will keep him in a semi-living state for almost an hour.." Madara continued, his voice softer now, and his arms returned to his side restfully, sure that Sasuke would stay to listen. "It won't stop the breakdown of his body while exposed to air and unfrozen, but.. While his mind is still intact, he should be able to respond to us at least somewhat understandably.."

There was a pause, a long, silent pause between the two-no, the three of them. Sasuke had no immediate answer for what his relative was telling him. He didn't know what in the world to even think. Madara, on the other hand, had assumed he had said enough, but as the silence continued, he elaborated further, wanting everything to be perfectly clear.

"Sasuke.." His deep voice echoed out softly, trying to get through to the stubborn kid. "Think about it. Anything you need to say to Itachi.. Anything you need your brother to know, he's right here to listen to you for a time.. You know you can't walk away from him when he'll be dead again in less than an hour.."

Still nothing. Sasuke stood with his back turned, his muscles tense as he refused to look at the normally masked man, and his dead brother who was temporarily alive again. He couldn't yet, he just couldn't- It was too much for him at the moment, and yet he still didn't want to walk away. Madara was right; The teen had his chance right here to apologize to his sibling, to assure the elder that he loved him rather than hated him, but.. Saying those things to Itachi as he laid cold and mostly dead was beyond difficult. It felt.. Meaningless. Sasuke didn't even know if his brother could understand, or if he could even call that body his brother anymore. It was Itachi's body, yes, but.. That didn't mean it -was- Itachi.

At last Madara just gave up on begging- It certainly wasn't his style, and he must have felt he was wasting his time with Sasuke. He instead turned back to Itachi, who had remained motionless on top of the examination table. The deathly heir showed clearly that his attention was sharp despite his physical state, silvery eyes snapping over in Madara's direction, the bones in his neck cracking as he turned his head. It was curious, the eldest male observed, because he was certain that any vision had completely diminished from those once powerful eyes. It must have just been the heir's way of showing he was alert. The demon Uchiha would put that to the test, certainly.

"Tell me, who are you?" Madara's clear voice rang out completely understandably. He was addressing Itachi, but the teen still remained, listening, just to see what would happen.

Pale lips opened just a tiny bit more than they had been amidst breathing, the deathly Uchiha seeming to be taking a moment before responding, trying his best to regain movement of his once sharp tongue. Madara found patience within himself, knowing that dealing with ones body after death was quite the struggle. Sasuke, however, felt himself slipping into doubt, but just as he was about to take his first real step toward the door to leave, a curious thing happened.

"Uchiha.. Itachi."

The corpse spoke out plainly, and though his voice was a hushed whisper, it was the voice of one who could refer to himself by the name Itachi Uchiha. Yes, that soft purr did indeed match the body it belonged to, and though it proved very little, it was enough to have Sasuke casting a sorrowful stare over his shoulder back in the direction of his dead brother and Madara.

The eldest Uchiha was, however, paying Sasuke little mind now, seeming fully-focused on testing out the alertness and self-awareness of the deathly Uchiha who laid motionless before the others. It was as if Itachi had become some fond little experiment, and Madara's voice purred to the fallen heir, sweetly, but coldly analytic just the same. "And.. who else is present, do you know?"

Sasuke couldn't help but contemplate Madara's actions; The bastard seemed so twisted in this very moment. As the teen turned slowly to face Madara, he found his own cold, dark eyes staring into his ancestor's tainted optics. He wondered if it was a trick of his mind, or.. Did Madara seem to be staring down upon Itachi with a gaze that was both lusting yet satisfied with something unknown to the teen?

"Uchiha Madara..."

These words snapped Sasuke out of his bizarre thoughts, and his eyes flickered down to his brother; Itachi was laying so still, yet his head was turned away from the teen and Sasuke couldn't see his face. (It was somewhat comforting. The situation, on top of being painful and bewildering, Sasuke couldn't help but feel terribly awkward in the presence of somebody he had wronged so terribly.)

But then the pale, ghastly shell that was once Itachi turned his head slowly, silvery eyes staring in Sasuke's direction, and it sent a terrible chill down the boy's spine. His body froze, and though he wouldn't admit, he was as terrified as a child would be as Itachi's cracked, colorless lips slowly formed his next words, and that whispered voice acknowledged Sasuke's presence.

"..and Sasuke.."

/That's right, I can never forget you. At times I wonder, if my heart was torn out, would my love feel the same?..But I have no doubt. You will always be mine../

Itachi's face- As Sasuke looked upon that pale, lovely countenance, he knew it would be blank, as always. Emotionless, and withdrawn, and it was indeed just that, but as Sasuke continued to stare, he knew his brother's expression didn't shift even slightly, but the teen thought he certainly had begun to imagine a glimmer of sorrow deep within his brother's blind eyes and it reflected itself upon the entirety of Itachi's being.. Like a silent, pitiful plea. What did the elder want? What was it he was asking from Sasuke? It made Sasuke's heart sink within himself, dropping into the pit of his stomach and making the teen feel suddenly ill.

(It was like a spell, genjutsu perhaps. But what a silly notion..)

One leather-encased appendage grasped Itachi by the chin, and turned his head so he looked straight upward again; It was the eldest of the trio, continuing his examination, and while Sasuke found that his buttons were being consistently pressed, this time he did not comment. He instead, placed his hands over his face, his palms feeling cool against his eyelids as he took a deep breath, quietly listening to his ancestor's voice, trying to calm himself.

"..Let's take a look at your eyes, Itachi." Madara spoke in narration as he indeed began a more in-depth examination of Itachi's silvery eyes. He must have enjoyed the sound of his own voice, because.. His words held no direction toward Itachi, nor any respect for him at all.

"They've been completely sealed from use of mangekyou, but no damage has been done yet.. We'de best remove them and put them on ice so to stop them from any decomposition.."

"No! You won't touch him!" The teen's voice snapped up from behind his lips before he even had much time to think; He glared at Madara again, not even sure how many times he had been fully enraged by that man tonight, and Sasuke's frame was absolutely shaking all over from his mind and emotions being tugged back and forth. (This really was becoming too much to handle.)

The young Uchiha, though nervous about Itachi, approached, keeping his attention on Madara for now, driven by his will to protect his brother from the blatant disrespect that was being thrown upon him simply because he was no longer living.

On the other hand, the older man was seeming tired and annoyed again by the kid in his midst. "..Sasuke, you shouldn't worry.. He's dead, he can't really feel anything the same as he could if he were alive.."

"That doesn't matte-" Sasuke began an infuriated retort, only to be cut off, Madara not even listening to him or considering his words.

The eldest Uchiha simply continued, his eyes not looking up from his adored experiment as he made his point with taunts and torture. "He lies here breathing as if he is truly alive.." A gloved hand moved itself up to rest forcefully down against Itachi's face, covering his mouth and nose to halt the simple reflexive action, and the ancient man let a twisted smile find its way across his lips as his eyes stared down with the same faint, vile lust buried within.

At the sudden deprivation of oxygen, the fallen Uchiha tried to flinch away from the hand restricting him, his eyes shutting as his brows knitted together slightly, and his own pale, deathly hands made piteous attempts to claw or pry Madara's cruel hand away, to no avail.

"..Stop that!" It didn't take the teen long to react to these actions, not really wanting to see his brother made so helpless, on top of not wanting to see him suffer, but despite the anger that boiled within, his voice came out disgustingly weak, reflecting an inability to protect Itachi now, though the elder sibling had given his life up doing just that for Sasuke.

"..Stop it.." Sasuke repeated himself, clenching his fists at his side as his heart was further torn apart and his body trembled ceaselessly.

Despite all this, the cruel old man only continued, waiting until the moment when Itachi himself actually stopped struggling, pale hands at last limply returning to his sides as his sightless eyes opened and gazed blindly forward in defeat; He was resigned. That was what Madara really wanted, what was feeding him.

This sight made Sasuke's heart feel like sinking again, and he looked away, feeling too ashamed of himself to look forward. For all his talk, he still was just a coward, the same as always, doing nothing as Itachi suffered.

"He pretends he is alive, but... He doesn't even need that air. His entire body is deceased and doesn't truly function.." Madara spoke up as he at last pulled his hand away, allowing Itachi to continue to breathe, though just as the eldest man said, it clearly did make no difference whether Itachi did so or not.

"He'll remain in a semi-living state as long as the serum is within him.. Otherwise, he needs nothing else. He feels nothing else, and after a while, he will no longer even be your brother... ..His body will start to deteriorate when it isn't frozen.. His mind will wither away, and then.. he'll be nothing."

The teen said nothing yet- He just stared off into space, feeling hollow inside, or.. More hollow than usual.

"Really... It's a question of when your brother simply chooses to stop being 'Itachi' anymore."

At this obscure suggestion from the ancient Uchiha, Sasuke glanced up, his attention caught again, and the old man took this as initiative to further explain himself.

"He has the body of Itachi, the memories of Itachi, but.. Whether or not your brother's soul will remain within that shell, that is the real question.. Eventually, the soul will decide that it no longer wishes to be 'Itachi' anymore, and it will leave.. And when it leaves, everything that made your brother who he was in life will be wiped clean from his soul.. And he will begin a new life.. But you can be the one to decide if it is still him, for now... I'll just leave you with him- I'm sure you wish to have some time alone. And when you're finished, I'll come back to take care of him, so.. Don't worry yourself, Sasuke."

With a vile, but subtle smile, Madara re-donned his facial coverage before he slowly turned away, and just as promised, he left Sasuke alone with the awakened Itachi.

For the longest while, there was nothing but an extended silence, and Sasuke found himself finally free enough with Madara's disappearance to filter his emotions down to the ones he felt in association with his brother, and all else he dispelled within himself.

But the teen was still feeling much of what was so debilitating; Fright, depression, nervousness, shame.. And the last time he was with Itachi, neither of them were themselves. Itachi was nothing more than a mask, and Sasuke's true nature was bound by his blind, ignorant hatred. So, in a way, Sasuke hadn't truly been with his own brother in so long, and he felt that Itachi was a man he didn't even know, and the uncertainty of their relationship was as frightening as the fact that Itachi was dea-...

The teenage Uchiha shook his head, reaching a hand up to tangle in his bangs and he sighed in frustration. He was being childish, and it was silly to think he could face so many difficult moments in life just to weaken at this moment. Still, he had to settle himself as he raised his head and his gaze once more to Itachi.

And there laid an ever-patient Itachi, pale and pitiful, haunting doll-eyes gazing up blindly at Sasuke. (If it weren't for the fact that Itachi blinked every now and then, and his chest moved softly up and down, Sasuke wouldn't really know he was alive.)

"..Itachi.. Look, it isn't so easy for me to just accept that this is you, without question. This entire situation is difficult for me to even bear, let alone believe in.. And.. It can't be so simple as this.. And it is too hard for me to believe, even after I hoped and wished with all my strength for one last chance to change the final moments between us, ..that I could even be allowed this chance.. After all I've done.."

Sasuke paused, taking a breath, feeling even his lungs trembling in the sound of his inhale. He wanted so much to push this moment away, and leave his heart barred and unbreakable, filled with nothing but hatred, but.. He wanted this chance too much. Even if it was all nonsense, and it hurt him in the end, did that matter? Further pain could further his hatred and make him stronger, so he continued..

"I know you didn't want this.. I know, only now, that you must have really wanted to live. You survived for so long, even though, as Madara told me, you had been dying. How can somebody persist like that, and stay so strong and clear of mind, and so calm? It's as if you had no doubts that you would live, and you believed that you could find a way, just to find those hopes dashed by my foolishness. And.. I was just so stupid! Madara told me you had always planned to die for my sake, and maybe you did plan it that way.. But I know.. I -know- you wanted to live.. You tried, you honestly tried to make me realize the truth on my own, I remember. That man said you wanted to take the truth to your grave, but I know better.. In your own gentle fashion, you made one small attempt to show the truth to me, and I just ignored it.. But now I realize what you meant. I know you wanted more in life than what you received... But.. What am I even saying..? I never even believed I was talking to you in the first place, so why am I rattling on with useless words to a hollow shell? What will it prove? There's no way you could possibly understand now.. None of this means anything, or makes any difference.."

Sasuke covered his eyes with his cold, clammy hands again, feeling them tremble against his face. He... He didn't want to look at his dead brother anymore. He didn't want to play this disgusting game anymore. It was making him sick to his stomach, and the pain that he felt in his heart was not even something that could be properly described.

The teen shook his head, his voice coming out weakly in a whisper. "I don't even know what I'm doing anymore.. I'm so confused."

And then, just before his mind had fully processed the command to turn his physical form around and leave, a cold touch froze him in the shock of the sensation. It was like ice resting as politely as possible against the uncovered skin of his elbow, and though it was softer.. Somehow.. It was so much (MUCH) more chilling.

"Sas...ke.."

That voice; That horribly undeniable voice, it made Sasuke shiver even harder, though he felt as if the world had fallen eerily still around him, and he was so unsteadied and disoriented that he may crumble at any moment, then pathetically try to crawl away. He wanted to close his ears and then remove himself from the touch that rested against him, but he couldn't even force himself to do so..

Because... Because... It _was_ Itachi. Sasuke knew it was, and as he uncovered his eyes to look down and see his sibling reaching up in an attempt to reassure him, he then finally saw it was his Itachi from a childhood long passed.. And his Itachi was alive, but he was..

(He was still dead.. He was dead, and even if he was aware for a passing time, he was dead and he was gone.. And Sasuke could never have him back.)

Feeling tears attempting the gather in his eyes again, Sasuke did all he could to hold them back, and not become a weak child before his older brother, lest he forever be the 'foolish little brother'.

"..Itachi." The elder's name fell quietly, sweetly, off the teen's lips, the rekindled love from so long ago apparent in his voice, though it was laced with sorrow.

Itachi's gentle response to at last being acknowledged as _himself_ came shortly after Sasuke resigned to the sad facts; But his words were softly affectionate and reassuring in order to comfort Sasuke, lest he fall to pieces. "It's alright brother.. You can say anything you need to.. I'll understand. I'll remember."

One pale hand lifted from the deathly male's side, and laid against his chest as a gesture of promising, and he nodded softly, the corners of his lips curling ever so slightly.

(And how awful it was now- Seeing Itachi only being truly honest after dying first.)

Sasuke sighed, wiping the unshed tears from his glassy, black eyes before they were given time to fall. "I'm sorry brother.."

But to this declaration, and despite his vow to understanding, the fallen Uchiha immediately gave his head a soft shake. "You don't have to be.. Everything was my doing, remember? There's no need... for you to apologize to me.. This is really.. My fault."

Sasuke never imagined that in his last chance to speak with Itachi that he and his brother would honestly be competing over who was to take the blame for everything, but really.. Maybe it could leave light-hearted feelings between them, even during the darkest times.

With wandering eyes and thoughts, Sasuke laid his hands in loose fists upon the table near his brother. "..you only did what you thought was best for me.. Though, you should have thought more of yourself.. You caused yourself so much suffering that just wasn't necessary."

"I did think of myself, Sasuke."

The teen focused on his brother's face, (with some difficulty) finding that looking into those empty, starless eyes was as terrifying as it was tragic. But it really was as if Itachi was looking directly back at Sasuke, even through silvered eyes he seemed to gaze, a serious tone to his weakened voice once he explained his previous words. ".._Your_ _safety_ is all_ I_ _wanted_.."

...

It was when an extended silence fell awkwardly between the brothers that Sasuke inwardly cursed himself- Why was it he found nothing to say while his time ran steadily out? Itachi was all he wanted. He wanted, now, to understand the enigma who was the kind, loving brother that he adored.. Or.. He wanted to understand as much as he could be allowed before Itachi fell into death once again.

While he thought on what his next words should be, and the elder awaited those words patiently, Sasuke forced himself to grow more comfortable with actually -looking- at his brother. He had already studied every inch of him delicately, though now he was busily trying to force this image (of Itachi) to become something in his mind that was not.. _Haunting_.

But after a few minutes in silence, Itachi turned his head to face away from the younger Uchiha, and though the teen thought little of this, it was the soft words that followed that caused Sasuke a bout of sudden confusion, among other things.

"I do hope you're not staring at me, brother."

First, the younger of the two just stood there blinking to himself, certainly having an almost dumbfounded expression. (How the hell could Itachi..tell?) But, Sasuke just assumed that his brother had assumed, and so it was all assumption anyway. Aside from the question of what Itachi said.. Did he really actually consider his own appearance currently? His body was, for lack of better words, deceased, and he was honestly concerned with appearance?

"..I never imagined you being so vain, Itachi."

A soft, and somewhat readable tone came in response, some tinge of shame apparent in the elder's tone. "..I'm sure I look like hell.."

"No.." Pushed by the sudden need that was an easy opportunity to comfort his elder, one relaxed hand was pressed a slight distance forward to touch Itachi's. It was so subtle at first; Sasuke only grazed his fingers against his sibling's cold digits, barely even touching the older male, though eventually the teen allowed his hand to carefully rest against his brother's. "You still look.. Like yourself. You look.. Just fine."

And while Itachi turned his head back in Sasuke's direction, he did not appear any more pleased than he had been. This was yet another cause for distress from Sasuke, the teen inwardly sure that Itachi just wanted to rest peacefully rather than having to waste one more second on a younger brother that clearly couldn't even think of a single thing to say when it didn't involve revenge. (How pathetic.)

Luckily, however, Itachi continued to let Sasuke in on what was troubling him, his voice still soft and pitiful. "Sasuke.. I can tell your hand is touching me, but.. I can't really _feel_ it."

"Oh.." The younger male felt almost.. Stupidly embarrassed, or perhaps.. Insensitive? Sure, there was really no way he could know what sensations Itachi was still capable of feeling, but he just tried to avoid making a big deal of this, because he had his remorseful emotions to deal with as well.

(How he would love to touch his brother and have Itachi _feel_ it as he would when he was alive.)

"Can you.. Feel anything, brother? ...Are you in any pain?" Sasuke moved his hand along Itachi's arm almost shyly, his fingertips slowly ghosting over each cold, pale inch of exposed skin.

"No, don't worry, Sasuke.. There's no pain to be mentioned.." Itachi spoke as Sasuke's fingers delicately examined in order to discover whether or not Itachi still maintained even slight sensitivity to touch. It was when Sasuke's fingertips just barely moved beneath the hem of Itachi's sleeve that the elder mentioned being able to feel the warmth of Sasuke's skin against his own.

The teen's hand remained where it was, his finger's lightly resting upon the elder's upper arm- He wasn't sure what else to do, or how he should offer his touch to his brother. Would Itachi even welcome it? But, after another moment in silence, the teen considered himself as well- It seemed selfish on top of childish, but he wondered if Itachi would be content allowing Sasuke to seek his own comfort in physical contact. With movements that were still incredibly shy, Sasuke leaned over, laying his head against his brother's chest. The fabric itself was even frigid, but the young avenger paid it no mind.

"Itachi... You seem very discontent..." Sasuke's voice was a low hum of words, his tone concerned, caring. (It must have been different.) "I'm sorry this happened to you. I was glad that I got to say what I needed to you, but.. I'm also sorry that your peace had to be disturbed.."

It seemed that Itachi paused after hearing Sasuke speak- Perhaps he was thinking. However, amidst his thinking, he lifted one arm to be draped over Sasuke's back, comforting the boy in return, as if he were still just a child.

"Don't be so melancholy, Sasuke.." In perfect 'elder brother' form, Itachi both scolded Sasuke gently for silly ideas, while trying to force negative feelings out of his heart. "You didn't disturb me, because I never left this body. I was waiting here.. I was waiting for you.. And I'll stay for as long as you need, even if my body is of no use anymore.. I'll still stay."

Without moving, simply remaining perfectly calm in his brother's cold embrace, the young Uchiha sighed in an almost defeated tone- Itachi's attempts at cheering the younger male up really weren't having the right effect. "That sounds very depressing.. You should stop worrying so much about me, brother."

"Stop worrying? ..Then, tell me.." The tone of Itachi's voice as he spoke was unconvinced, and with that in mind, when the elder paused for the slightest second before finishing his sentence, Sasuke felt himself tensing, apprehending what was to come.

" ..what plans do you have for the future?"

Quietly, Sasuke stood, being easily released from his brother's affectionate touch, and the young avenger stared down with eyes that were cold and hateful for the first time tonight since Madara had left the room. He was relieved that Itachi would not be able to see his face as he scowled, his mind drifting off to all those happy people in Konoha, all those bastards that were thriving off of Itachi's sacrifice and didn't even know what had been given up for them.

Sasuke took a breath to calm himself before he gave his answer, though the change of his mood was apparent in the sharpness of his voice as he spoke. "I think.. It's best that we don't discuss that.."

The younger male knew exactly what Itachi was going to say- Itachi was going to give Sasuke his opinion on the subject, whether the avenger wanted it or not, and after the fallen Uchiha finished, Sasuke was going to disagree, and things would be left upset between them once again.. The teen clenched his fist, hoping he could hold himself back at whatever Itachi told him, and he could restrain his rebellious urges..

But then that didn't happen. Instead, Itachi just nodded his head softly, allowing Sasuke freedom from the subject, as if it didn't even matter. For a moment, this puzzled Sasuke, but he was quickly made to understand as he watched his brother's head fall a bit to the side and the alertness of those silvery eyes faded a bit behind pale eyelids that seemed to grow heavy.

"...It feels like... Our time is almost over..."

Sasuke shook his head, wanting to deny this reality. His hands came to rest upon the elder's chest, and the teen's fingers tangled themselves in the material of Itachi's shirt. "...no.. Itachi."

"It's alright, Sasuke.."

Again, Sasuke brought his head down to rest against his motionless sibling, his eyes shut tightly as he locked out the reality before him. "..But... I need you, brother... I'm.. So lost without you.. I don't want you to leave me."

"..I said I would stay here... no matter what... I'll still be here."

Itachi's voice steadily grew more quiet with each word he spoke, but the teen clung desperately to every last syllable, not pleased with the situation by any means, but.. In what seemed like their very last moments, Sasuke couldn't help but think that these words would be the last his brother ever spoke.. He couldn't help but think this would be the last time he ever heard Itachi's voice, addressing him, comforting him.. And he wanted it. He wanted it so terribly.. He needed Itachi.. More than anything.

"..But-"

Interrupting Sasuke's attempt to reject his words, Itachi pressed himself on, trying to gently give Sasuke hope for a few more chances to speak with him. "..Just have Madara revive me again.. I'll wait."

Sasuke took a shaking, nervous breath, unsure how to respond, really, but he was still holding onto his brother's words, and the hope that Itachi tried to grant him. Part of him wanted to deny the very thing Itachi was assuring him. That part wanted Itachi's soul to venture off to whatever peaceful universe it wanted, and leave all this mess behind without a single backward glance. But the stronger, more loud half of the teen wanted to cling to Itachi forever, and not let him go.. Ever.

(Sasuke wasn't sure which road to take.. Or where they would lead him.)

"..do you promise, brother?" Sasuke uttered these words quietly, desperately, receiving an almost nonexistent response from his fading sibling when Itachi's soft voice came out just audible enough for Sasuke to hear as his head rested so near Itachi's own.

"...Yes, Sasuke.."

Sasuke's voice lowered just the same as his sibling's, though his trembled much more terribly as Itachi grew ever more still by the second. "..Will you...keep that promise?"

"...I will.."

The elder's words were the same as mumbled verbiage coming from a person as they fell into rest; Quiet, distant, delayed. Sasuke clasped Itachi's shirt that much more tightly, holding onto the elder as if it could keep him from leaving, alas, black eyes brimming with grief watched as Itachi's own blinded pair at last disappeared behind thin, pale lids, and one last breath slipped from within his chest.

And Sasuke did not feel it rise even once more beneath him.

::

/Stay like this with me, my beloved. Your presence comforts my soul, easing my pain into nonexistence./

::

It was when the avenger at last left his brother's side (in exhaustion, and needing rest) that another mysterious figure decided to feed his own curiosity concerning the situation, and one very interesting character in the game of life all these silly people played.

From the most concealed shadows of the morgue, he leaked up from the very floor as if he and it could become one in a liquid state just to return to solidity once separated. He had inched himself nearer and nearer to where the deathly Itachi Uchiha rested, inwardly discussing with himself the silence perceived from dead people by living people, and how very ironically funny it was.

"...Because people speak the most after they've died..."

"Yeah.. Just, it's like other people ignore them."

"..Because they can't hear them..."

"...Yeah.. That."

This mysterious creature wore a jagged smile on his face; It could be seen once he separated the protective teeth-like leaves that surrounded his body, and he peered down with a predatory golden gaze at the deathly doll laying so vulnerably before him.

And those leaves made a rather slimy sound as they pulled apart; It was like the jaws of some long-snouted carnivore as he salivated in preparation to devour whatever tasty prize he found himself winning. It was somewhat disturbing, but the creature's voices were much more distracting as he conversed with himself.

"..Because dead people are always so confused after they've died. They are always asking 'what is going on?' and 'where am I?' and crying that 'their lives can't end like this'..as if it would really change anything.."

"..Yeah, and they always make such a fuss when we start disposing of their bodies.. It is like dinner and entertainment.. It is the best."

/Confusion is a natural thing for those who are dead, but I came to terms with death before it occurred; This way I can keep playing the game of life as I always have, whether dead or alive... But it would still be an interesting turn of events to conclude that you can actually hear my whispers../

"..Yeah, we can.."

"..Because of all the dead people in this place, you've been talking the most. The really interesting thing is that you never ask questions, and I was starting to wonder why.. You must be smarter than most people.. Because you seem like you're planning something..Even though you've passed away."

/...Zetsu-san... Perhaps you would like to make a deal with me? ..It could lead to a great deal of entertainment, along with other pleasant things../

"...A deal? How intriguing.."

::

..tbc..


	2. Chapter 2

::

_|||..__._Life is a waterfall; we're one in the river, then one again after the fall. Swimming through the void we hear the word; we lose ourselves, but we find it all...|||

_:: _

_A screen hid the two Uchiha from view, the small room illuminated by a circle of white candles, which burned dimly in a circle around the futon mattress where they laid. The sickly sweet smoke of incense hovered in the air, chasing away the scent of blood and a demonic reek._

_The younger male sat upright upon the futon, his hands delicately pressed together as he uttered a quick prayer, and incantation; Ever since Madara had fallen ill, the worry of dark spirits and demons coming to possess him or sap his health further had the entire Uchiha clan on edge, especially Uchiha Izuna._

_The young Uchiha finished his whispered words, opening his stony-black optics to look down at his beloved elder brother. It was clear that Madara was buried in the most restless, uncomfortable slumber, his breathing labored and his skin touched with a cold, clammy dew. The head Uchiha moved about in his sleep, surely fighting some endless battle in his blood-ridden nightmares._

_Izuna didn't understand the reasons behind his sibling's declined health- It was perfectly clear that the use of mangekyou sharingan had caused Madara's blindness, yet the elder male continued to grow more sick each day._

_With a morose sigh, Izuna let his head fall forward, his face hidden in soft, scarred palms. He considered absently that perhaps he should prepare more herbal medicine for his brother, knowing that when Madara awakened, the elder would likely wish to be forced back into sleep, the pain too much to endure, otherwise. _

_But something more ominous was troubling the young Uchiha; Ever since Madara had become too weak to defend himself, Izuna had been forced to fight off a greater share of enemy shinobi than usual, pushing his eyes to their limit. Now, he was losing his sight as well, and he feared the possibilities of what might happen if he could no longer fight in Madara's place. Either they would be killed by enemies, or they would be murdered by a fellow clan member, who would subsequently take over their ranking position._

"_You called for me?"_

_With quiet, delicate movements so as not to disturb his elder brother, Izuna placed his feet upon the floor and lifted himself to standing. His footsteps were silent as he padded over to brush aside the soft, thin curtain that maintained the privacy of the reigning pair. It was only allowed to open a sliver, and Izuna stepped out, regarding his company with a polite bow of his head. "That's correct, honored Uchiha elder."_

_The old, white haired man nodded his head forward momentarily as well to the secondary leader of their clan, granting him respect before regarding young Izuna with dark eyes that peered from beneath wrinkled, sagging lids. "How is your older brother?"_

_Izuna shook his head grimly, his own dark eyes downcast in his worried state. It was obvious that he had become desperate, but he kept the truth of his own fading vision secret for now. "He doesn't seem to be getting any better yet, though I'm anxious for him to recover. This is why I summoned you- I needed your assistance, elder."_

_The old man was calm and graceful, absorbing the young clan leader's words thoughtfully. He did not act surprised, though neither Izuna nor Madara had ever asked for help in their endeavors; He did what he could, and offered his support and wisdom. "How can I aid you?"_

"_I wish to divine a means to restore my brother's health. Are you in possession of divination sage?"_

_The older man nodded. "I am."_

"_Is there any way that you might accompany me to the underground meeting area and bring the herb? I'd like for you to translate the ancient language of the Uchiha's for me, after all, I've only learned to read it." _

_With a slight bow, the elder spoke before turning to fetch what the young leader had asked of him. "I will do whatever I can."_

:: ::

A vile creature patiently waited, curled in his own bleak seclusion. His mask was lifted from his face, resting just within arm's length. His tongue peeked out to wet his lips slightly as a red eye cut through the darkness of his private room, and his gloved hands rested gingerly on a small trunk.

Those hands, encased in ebony leather, inched along the edges of the small box, feeling the top, sliding along the seams, until they were brave enough to undo the latches and lift open the top.

Quick but slight puffs of breath passed over the old man's lips, his eyes glazed with an obsessive lust, a painful loneliness that he'd buried deep inside his heart, until it poisoned him with death-like insanity.

With care, he reached down into the trunk, feeling for the one sacred object that waited inside. A quiet sound escaped the man as his fingers grazed a solid surface, shivers racing through him at the reunion. As carefully as one would hold an infant, he cupped the object in his hands, and lifted it from the box to be held before his face. Here he stared into two empty, gaping holes in the intricate, solid structure that was an old skull.

It reeked of smoke, and wasn't even bleached as white as it should be, tarnished, instead, with ash and blackish burns. That did not make a single shred of difference to this man, as he did not even notice the discoloration, not taking the time to try and study the details in the dark room. Instead, the skull was clutched to his chest, as if he could push it inside himself. (Which, actually, he probably could.)

"I never let go of my guilt. I punished myself with the pain of my own death, while still making sure that I could avenge you, my dearest one."

These words came in raspy whispers, the old man's voice harsh as he kept it low, intent on listening for the echo of solitary footsteps down the hallway; That very sound he had been expecting soon, knowing Sasuke would be heading back to his room, once Itachi fell from his life-like state. (And Madara could estimate about how long that would take.)

The lone patter met Madara's ears, as expected, and he stood in order to venture over to the door that separated his private space from the hallway. He pressed himself to the thin wooden structure, listening, smirking to himself all the while, as poor, pitiful Sasuke walked quietly back to his room, his chakra reflecting his downtrodden emotions.

"Hurts, doesn't it, boy?" The old man snickered to himself, his hand stroking the skull that he was cradling so delicately. While he could admit that he liked Sasuke, knowing that he could sympathize with the foolish child, the elder Uchiha also found himself rudely reminded of a younger version of himself, which could be sickening at times. For now, he indulged in the amusement that came with watching Sasuke suffer. It was somehow masochistic, but even so, he couldn't say that such was wrong.

Sasuke surely vanished to his room, his footsteps no longer audible, and the elder Uchiha sighed, crimson sharingan flickering down to regard the skull in his hands. Looking at the precious object, it brought his own feelings of loss and emptiness bubbling to the surface. He kept the skull firmly held in one hand, while his other gloved appendage crinkled the material covering the old man's chest between his fingers.

"You lived your new life exactly as you lived your last, brother.. What have you been trying to prove to me? Are you tormenting me? Reminding me of my wrongs? Showing me how stupid and foolish I am... Izuna?

Madara stared into the empty eyeholes of the skull, silently waiting as though he expected a response and he had politely paused to allow the skull to speak in return; This certainly never occurred, and so he narrowed his eyes, his unbusied hand coming to slide open the door to his room, and he headed back to where he had left Itachi's body.

He was in search of the response he desired.

::

|||...Give me a reason to believe that you're gone. I see your shadow so I know they're all wrong. Moonlight on the soft brown earth, it leads me to where you lay. They took you away from me but now I'm taking you home...|||

A ghostly whisper rang out as quietly as a gentle breeze, a deep, silken voice speaking the words of a soul now clinging to a body which was dead; This voice sounded restrained, the soul putting the greatest effort into speaking to the one person who could actually hear these whispers.

It was the two-toned man who listened, who looked down at the pale beauty laying before him on a lab table. It was hard for one half to remain focused, his imagination dipping down into the sweet envisionment of how Itachi's texture would be deliciously extraordinary against his worn teeth, and how the doll-like flesh would taste as tenderly superb as the deathly Uchiha looked.

The black half of the creature called 'Zetsu' kept his focus on the whimsy of Itachi's words while the dead man's soul kept whispering, always whispering, as interesting as he would be tasty.

/..My only question is, if my heart were torn out, would my love feel the same..? Wouldn't it be a pleasant experiment for the three of us to indulge in..?/

Those leathery leaves separated further at Itachi's quiet utterings, the white half salivating, gulping at the temptation being placed before him, and he couldn't help himself, he wanted to touch Itachi. He'd never been able to before, after all. A pale arm reached out, translucent skin hardly even covering the winding, greenish veins beneath the surface of the creature's flesh. The pale appendage came to curiously probe at the hem of Itachi's shirt, around his neck, touching the cold, dead surface before excitedly meandering beneath the battle-torn shirt that covered him.

In the meantime, the darker half concentrated on responding to what Itachi was saying to him. "..Because I can help you, you make these offers to me, yes?"

The darker half's words drew up the lighter half's attention, and he followed the other's words out of habit. "...Yeah- What makes you think that we would do anything against the one that brought us to life?" He drew his hand back, deciding a bit late that his actions had been betraying him.

The fallen Uchiha was motionless, yet he listened, able to perceive his surroundings despite being dead, his clinging soul speaking in response to this remarkable creature, who could somehow hear him.

/..You understand greater than any what it means to live and what it means to die, Zetsu-san. Your only loyalty is to the cycle that makes us all one, body and soul.. But I can give you the sweet taste of your master's blood on your lips.. I can tear his heart out for you, if you would tear my own out for me..Wouldn't it be entertaining for you?/

The creature tilted his head, glowing, golden, predatory eyes narrowing with the intensity of thought as he took Itachi's offer into consideration. It didn't take very long for him to come to a decent conclusion, and as much was displayed with a ghastly grin, which crawled across his face, his tongue lapping at his lips hungrily, resembling a blood-thirsty carnivore. "..Because this is intriguing, because YOU are intriguing, we will do this for you.."

He nodded his head, as the white half threw in his own two-cents. "Yeah, we will do whatever you wish.. so long as you keep your promise."

That creature's hungry tone might have been dreadful, but just the same, it was promising. It meant he could not resist, that he would bend to Itachi's will, knowing that his 'master' did not intend to feed him the greatest delicacy he'd ever laid his golden eyes on.

/..For now, you may wait. There is no move to be made as of yet. But in time, my plans will begin motion.. Then I'll live again the same as I always hoped to die; beneath the liquid-silver of a moonlit body of water, deprived of proper sight or sound, or breath, my body weightless as the liquid slowly maintains my lifeforce so gently, so softly.. And you will have what you wish for, if you follow my commands./

This conversation was interrupted when the door to the morgue opened suddenly, and Zetsu turned a wide-eyed, surprised expression in the direction of the open doorway, finding himself meeting eyes with his master.

The old Uchiha gave his creature-pet a suspicious look, acknowledging that the plant man's face looked like that of a naughty dog that just got caught stealing food from the master's dinner table. Madara raised an eyebrow, padding over toward his creation with a scornful look on his face, and he glared Zetsu down with a vibrant red eye.

"I do hope you weren't trying to sneak a nibble." The old man's voice was a deep but soft growl, actually more resembling a purr that hid a dangerous intent just beneath.

Wide, golden eyes looked up into Madara's glaring sharingan, utterly terrified at what would happen if the old man found out that he had been bargaining with Itachi, who was plotting against him. Zetsu gave his head a nervous shake before he closed his leaves tightly around himself, and sank into the ground.

"Well, then, if you're not up to no good, then you can make yourself useful now." Madara spoke, quickly warning his pet not to run away.

Obediently, the plant-creature grew up from the floor, now on the other side of the table where Itachi laid. "Yeah..You want me to listen to his words for you?"

"That's correct. I can't very well hear the whispers of his soul myself, now, can I?" Madara crossed his arms against his chest, though one hand still held the precious skull. He was still focused on Zetsu's suspicious behavior.

With a slimy sound, the teeth of Zetsu's leafy hull pulled apart, revealing his two-toned face again, his golden eyes glowing from the dark safety within his leafy coverage. "Because you ask me to do so.. I shall do as you ask."

A nod was granted to the obedient creature, Madara finally approving the reaction he was getting from his wayward servant; This meant he could shift his attention from the plant-creature, down to the icy doll that laid upon the surface before him. Itachi's resting body was at just the right height for Madara to touch him, and touch him the older man did, letting his gloved hands come to stroke the peaceful doll's silky, raven locks as they spanned out from his head in untied tendrils.

This momentary affection preceded placement of the skull in the elder Uchiha's hand down onto the table. Softly, the precious object was laid on the table next to Itachi, as if to bid his soul from his dead body into the forgotten skull.

"There's no reason for you to be stubborn any longer.." The old man spoke, his crimson optic staring sorrowfully down at the pale, young male who laid lifelessly before him. "I'm not the stupid kid I used to be.. Everything I'm doing is all to try and make it up to you for what happened.. Don't you see? I'm doing what you wanted..?"

The Uchiha paused, his red orb glancing up at Zetsu, who met eyes with Madara, his attention grasped in the silence. He just shook his head to his master, hearing nothing but silence from Itachi, and therefore, he had no response to relay.

Madara continued, growing more desperate as he was ignored. "Come back to me, _brother_.. I need you to live beside me again. I'm lost without you.. Come back to me and live forever, pressed tightly against me, breathing the life of everyone else in this world as they sleep peacefully. I'm granting every human being in this world peace, just as you wanted.. So please, come back.. _Izuna_."

There was yet another pause for response, which, once again, offered nothing but silence. This frustrated Madara to no end, the knowledge that his brother's soul was just within reach, yet Izuna ignored him, unwilling to forgive him for past transgressions. He leaned down, his hands firmly clasping the edge of the examination table as he got level with the body upon the table. "_Izuna_, please! Come back to me.. Live by my side again.. What I said to you before you died.. It was a lie. It was a lie! ..I could never hate you, _brother_.. Never."

The old Uchiha was trembling, his emotions so meshed that even he was unaware of what he was feeling. Surely there was sadness, anger, frustration, confusion, all touched with hope that was slowly vanishing, leaving him grasping for something in the dark, desperate.

A maddened crimson lifted to Zetsu, bidding him to tell his master that Ita-no, Izuna had said something back. That fiery eye held the threat of punishment if Madara did not like his pet's answer, and the two-toned creature gulped, taking a nervous breath before softly shaking his head. "...Because..I hear nothing... He speaks no words to you.. Nothing, but silence..."

The fire within the old man's eye raged, burning brightly as his anger flared deep inside him, only to be drowned in the endless abyss that was the sorrow he felt. The crimson gleam of his sharingan dulled, his head lowering until it was pressed to the table, his forehead flat to the cold metallic surface, and his gloved hand reached out to grasp the skull, _Izuna's_ skull. The object was dragged near, held in a shaking hand as Madara pushed the bone against himself, rubbing his own skull against the hollow one, the surface dirtying the man's raven hair with ash and the scent of smoke from so long ago.

Zetsu felt it best to leave his mournful master in peace, and he sank down into the floor just as the old man clenched his jaw, trying to restrain the emotion that begged to burst from him, his teeth gritting harshly until the feeling pushed so hard against his restraints that he couldn't fight any longer, and all he could do was scream.

His voice tore from his throat in anger and sorrow, and in all the things that came with not being able to grasp something precious that he had lost, that he had been waiting so long to get back.

::

|||...Could we have known, never would I have helped to nail down. With nothing to gain, here's the clincher- This should be you, made cold and crippled...|||

/

_He was gazing down into eyes like silvery moonlight, eyes that gazed back endlessly, unseeing, yet reflecting within a mirror-image of the guilt-ridden face that looked down into them, the countenance of the person who had turned these once warm eyes into cold, lifeless mirrors. Those dull optics stared, ceaseless, relentless, and they were all Sasuke could see._

_He was looking down at Itachi, his brother, cold and inert, accusing in all his silence, no words needing to be spoken, those empty eyes saying enough._

'_Sasuke. How could you do this? You've killed me.. After all I've done for you, you took my life.. Why, brother? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why!'_

_Still, Sasuke couldn't look away, his own gaze captured, mesmerized. It was as if he were paralyzed, perhaps in the shock of seeing Itachi, kind Itachi, now dead before him. He blinked, trying to escape this image, finding that each time he opened his eyes again, he had gotten only closer to the terrifying, lovely image of a powdery-pale Itachi, his raven hair a mess, his lips stained with blood, and his eyes staring, not ever blinking, just staring!_

_Sasuke's hands were around his brother's neck; They were there, touching Itachi, and he didn't know why or when he put them there. He could feel his brother's icy skin beneath his fingers, and as much as he loved Itachi, god, it was sickening, it was disgusting! He was so cold, so lifeless! The avenger shook his head, trying to tug his hands away but he couldn't, and even as his head whipped back and forth, the image in his mind's eye never changed, never looking away, even when his eyes finally could, unable to un-see Itachi's death... Itachi's death._

_But Sasuke wasn't there; He had finished the fight with his brother days ago. He wasn't there anymore, he wasn't standing there over Itachi's toppled frame, smirking in melancholy victory, while the depths of his dark eyes cried without shedding tears._

_He was in bed; That's right. Everything before must have been a dream, no, a nightmare. He laid in his bed, the blankets pulled tightly around his curled body as he rested on his side, snuggled into the mattress, trying to escape the chilled air of Madara's underground lair. No matter how he tried, however, he could still feel the cold, creeping over his skin, touching him beneath the blankets._

_The cold wasn't just creeping over his skin, actually, it was touching him, frigid, but with pressure behind it, as if it were hands. He gasped in shock and terror, air rushing into his lungs, freezing his insides, seizing his muscles in a icy grasp that he could no more escape than he could identify. Why couldn't he move? Why couldn't he escape? Did he deserve this? He wanted to jump up in the bed and kick the covers back to assure himself he was alone, but how could he, when he could feel somebody's hands touching him?_

_Clammy hands moved along his body, pushing him from his side, down onto his back, holding him there forcefully. The teenage Uchiha kicked, and struggled, but no matter what, he couldn't move from where he was pinned. His feet struck nobody where he was sure there should have been somebody, and as he became more terrified and desperate, he flailed his head back and forth against his pillow, his breath coming out in frightened, uneven pants._

_Those chilled, deathly hands ducked under the avenger's shirt, and slithered about his skin, feeling every warm, living inch of his flesh, while holding him in place with the strength that pressed down as heavily as tons of pressure, like an entire sea rested upon Sasuke's chest. It pushed the oxygen from his lungs, and didn't allow him to inhale even one more tiny breath of air._

_The feeling of cold moved slowly along the skin of his abdomen and suddenly it felt like somebody's hips had rested themselves atop his own, astride him. This person's hands continued to toy with him, icy caresses moving to savor the warmth of Sasuke's chest, the living heart that was thumping harshly against his breastbone in horror._

_The blankets around Sasuke's body began to raise up, the person beneath finally bound to reveal themselves as their body moved to sit upward, seeming as though they had been laying flush to the teen all this time. Slowly, the old quilt drew back, revealing the young Uchiha's skin to the frigid night air, which dappled his pale complexion in gooseflesh. The shivers only intensified as the phantom's pale hands revealed themselves, reaching out from beneath the blankets to pull the material back in the same way one might remove a hood from their head._

_Beneath the blankets was a pale creature, its entire body uncovered, all of its pallid skin completely visible, and luminous, deathly in the dark of the night. It's head was hanging forward, though slowly it raised up, black hair messily hanging in long wisps, beautiful but tangled as they fell away from the creature's face._

_And, most horrifically of all, it was no 'creature', no, not at all. From beneath messy raven bangs that strayed into the person's face, his features were still entirely distinct, though undeniably dead. Silvered eyes flickered over the avenger's frightened countenance, admiring the loveliness of Sasuke's fear. Pale lips drew into a slight smile, a mysterious smile; It was the very reflection of a warm, fond smile from the past, curled just a bit further into something demented and horrible. Long, black lashes fluttered against powdery-pale cheeks, like black butterfly wings, or spider legs, easily visible as those dead eyes stared far enough down that they were covered. Just below these very eyes, a deepened version of those same discolored creases trailed down this person's cheeks, fading into the blueish tinged skin beneath his eyes._

_Yes, this person was, without a doubt, Itachi.. But not quite as he was in life. No, he was dead, and had come to repay his precious brother in kind. A faint whisper passed over those cracked lips, silvery eyes glimmering mischievously, catching what seemed like a glint of moonlight as Itachi tilted his head in a way that was both curious and eerie._

"_What's wrong, Sasuke?" Came the silken, yet terrifying voice. "Why do you look so appalled? I'm only like this because of you.." As he spoke, his fingers curved rigidly as if they were talons, and his nails dug into Sasuke's flesh, eliciting the most pitiful whimper from the teen._

_Sasuke's eyes were shining with tears of terrified panic as he stared, unable, again, to look at anything but the disturbing, deathly nature of Itachi's appearance. He was trying to shake his head in denial of this, but Itachi decided it wasn't to be allowed, nodding his head in return to Sasuke, confirming the truth where the avenger pushed it away. The teen was then stopped forcefully when Itachi's cold fingers trailed up his neck, wrapping around, though gently, not placing any pressure behind his grasp._

"_Itachi...please.." Sasuke was barely able to utter anything coherent, yet he pushed out something that signified some sort of plea, hoping Itachi would understand, somehow._

"_Shhh.." Itachi cooed, a fond smile still clinging to his lips as his blind eyes stared, empty. "None of that, Sasuke, not this time.."_

_A soft, slight chuckle escaped the deathly male, punctuating his words yet interrupting him. He continued. "Being dead is so lonely, Sasuke.. You can keep me company, right?"_

_Having made his intentions completely clear, the older male's fingers tightened, squeezing the boy's neck so forcefully that not being able to breathe felt like the lesser worry as compared to the unbearable pressure. The teen's head pulsed, the veins in his temples raising and becoming clear beneath the flesh as his skin flushed red. _

_Lifting his own hands to grasp and claw at the hands around his neck, the teen desperately tried to remove the force as it grew steadily until coming to a crushing point. His dark eyes stared up at the silvered pair, not seeing a single trace of vengeful rage, but rather a kind of loneliness that was bordering insanity. The boy could feel the tears finally slip free from his dark eyes, the warm, wet trails caressing his cheeks as they moved slowly along his skin. He didn't know if they were being squeezed free from him, or if they were out of shame and the guilt of everything he'd done._

_Sasuke couldn't breathe, nor could he speak, even as his lips opened in a desperate attempt to communicate with his sibling, who was currently squeezing the life out of him. It was the feel of his own tears that reminded him that, yes, he did deserve this, and it was breaking the heart that was pounding in his chest.. This punishment, he deserved it, and he only wished to let Itachi know that.. He understood. He was resigned._

_The boy could only settle for quietly mouthing the words he intended to relay, hoping that the sincerity in his shimmering, charcoal eyes would help._

'_..I'm sorry..'_

_Closing his eyes, another stream of tears were pushed out, the only mourning anyone would do for the life Sasuke had led, and he accepted that. The pressure around his delicate bones at last came to an unbearable precipice, and he felt a terrible, sharp pain as his body tried to hold itself together until the sound of a few soft cracks met his ears, followed by a final, most sickening -snap-._

_For a while, there was nothing but a dark, breathless, chilling silence, ringing peacefully bittersweet around the young Uchiha. He could feel the last of his tears sliding down his cheeks and the older male coming to rest gently on top of him, his head fondly laid upon his sibling's shoulder. There was a breath, a completed sigh that escaped from behind Itachi's lips, and it rushed against the bruised skin of the younger male's neck, soothing him sweetly as everything faded to a complete blackened abyss of.. Nothing._

_And then.. A scream._

Sasuke's body shot up in his bed, feeling as though it had moved of it's own accord, despite how his mind was buried in the death-grip of guilt-ridden nightmares. That scream was enough to bring Sasuke out of his horrors, though he was unaware, at first, that it had all been a dream. His hands shot up to touch his neck, aiding in holding the boy's head up straight, the sickening fear of feeling the broken bones grinding together more than the teen could comprehensively endure without wailing in horror.

He coughed, his throat scratchy and hoarse, his neck uncomfortable, yes, but not so much that he didn't realize after catching his breath that it actually hadn't been broken. His fingers fell away as his panting slowed to a calmer pace, though his hand trembled slightly, and his entire frame stayed hunched in a tense position.

It had been a very long time since Sasuke endured nightmares so terrifying and realistic that he had remained frightened, even after realizing it was a dream and sitting up awake in the bed. The rigidity of the boy's muscles finally relaxed, only to wrack his body in a shivering chill, the cold air crawling under his skin. He sighed, lifting his palms to his face to calm himself and wipe away the unconscious tears that had escaped from his closed eyes in his sleep.

Those shaking hands dropped away, leaving the teen to stare tiredly out, straight ahead. He was silently afraid that if he laid back down, the nightmares would just return a second time, but he also knew better than to think he could deny himself sleep. (He had tried to avoid sleeping in the past, and it drove his fragile mind just as crazy as the nightmares.)

While considering whether to lay back down or not, the teen's dark eyes at last came to notice an out-of-place outline at the edge of his bed. In the dark it was very difficult to see, but Sasuke was certain that something in the shadows was different, or something else was now here that hadn't been there before.

His vision traced upward, trying to identify this abnormal figure, his heart's pace heightening all over again as Sasuke became certain that this figure seemed _human_. He took a shaking breath, letting his eyes continue to study the dark shadow, moving steadily up until the boy was staring directly into two glowing crimson circles, adorned with black pupils, unmistakably a pair of sharingan, staring, watching the boy sleep.

At first, the teen felt he should ball himself up and cry like a child, but he instinctually remained steady, this not being the first time he had awakened to find eyes watching him. (Though he was used to discovering golden eyes with slitted, serpentine pupils, gazing with lust.)

He bristled in anger, knowing that only one other person with sharingan resided within this lair, and that person had absolutely no business coming into Sasuke's room and bothering him for any reason.

"Bastard." Sasuke cursed, his voice bitter as he addressed Madara. "What the hell are you doing in here?"

The teen glared back into the luminous crimson eyes through the dark, challenging and unafraid. He waited for a response, scowling as he kept himself quiet for as long as he could wait, only to be answered with a chilling, maddening silence, and the stare of those eerie, red eyes, never blinking, just staring.

In a harsh, angry voice, Sasuke finally snapped dismissive words, his tone indicative of how very tired and ill that he was. "Get out. Leave me, now."

Without question, those crimson eyes turned their stares away as asked, the figure quietly obeying the younger Uchiha's request. His footsteps as he padded toward the door were soft, his stride small and graceful, his shadowy presence seeming to glide across the stony floor.

Sasuke watched as the shadow sauntered toward the door, the teen satisfied as he heard the soft patter of fingertips brushing against the door to open it and the gritty slide of the door on it's tracks.

It was when the candlelight came in from the hallway that the teen's satisfaction flickered out, and his heart sank deep into his stomach. The light from outside was a weak reddish orange, but it left a dull, crimson highlight around the silhouette standing in the open doorway, glinting upon even the subtle, graceful movement of this person as he turned his ruby eyes back to regard Sasuke one last time, then stepped out, beyond the door, his hand lifted, resting on the door to slide it shut.

And the figure that stood in the doorway was not one of uncertain sculpting, nor a body that was wrapped completely in conforming black clothes, as if his frame may melt away without the binding helping to keep its shape. He was not of shortly cropped raven spikes, nor an old, weathered face, no.. This person was of modest height, his figure thin, his clothes loosely fitting, and his hair long and neat, tied at his nape.. This was not Uchiha Madara.. This was.. It was..

It was Itachi.. It was Itachi who was standing there in the doorway.

This truth startled and terrified Sasuke, yet he could not help but let his emotions react more intensely than his fear. He called out to his brother, a hand reaching out to Itachi quicker than Sasuke could shuffle up from the mattress. He longed to touch his brother, not caring anymore if Itachi felt like ice beneath his fingertips, and he rushed toward the open door, toward the figure standing there, staring..

As the boy's feet were placed upon the floor, the one standing in the doorway slid the door shut with a loud 'snap'. It took only a few seconds for Sasuke to close the short distance between his bed and the door, the light outside only disappearing momentarily before Sasuke burst from the door, forcing it open with vigor, being greeted by the flickering glow of the candles in the hallway and nothing more than that..

He looked down the hall to the left, then to the right, whispering Itachi's name softly under his breath, answered only by empty silence, Sasuke standing there in the darkness, completely alone, the other figure having disappeared as if it had never even been there..

The teen backed slowly into his room from the hall, his hand finding the door with the intent to close it tightly, though the motion was absent of thought. Sasuke's mind had drawn itself inward, his emotions and rational, for now, incomprehensible as it all filtered into a sort of vacuum, a black hole which consumed all..

There were no thoughts, no understanding; There might have been fear, but whatever the notion, it had consumed the boy so fully that he slid down to his knees on the floor, his hand braced against the door as he toppled. His eyes stared, unseeing, his mind so distant that it was as if he were sleeping, or in a trance, there on his knees on the floor, nothing visible to him but darkness, his mental state slowly beginning to bend, bound to break beneath the pressure..

And here he remained, not at peace, but for now, resting.. It brought a smile to his face, though he was unaware of it- Finally, he and Itachi could be equal, for a time. Resting...

..but not at peace..

|||...Beating me down, down, into the ground, screaming so sound, Beating me, beating me, down, down into the ground...|||

/

..tbc..

/

_Author's Note: Hey! If you'd like to see me update this fic really often, then be sure to vote on the poll that you'll find at the top of my profile page! Also, if you've already voted, and would like to change your vote, keep in mind that I'll be refreshing the voting topic next weekend, and a new top fic may be chosen by you, the voters! =)_

_Thank you for reading and please review. =)_


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